All kids need to keep learning over the summer. If they don’t, they lose what they’ve learned during the school year,and those losses add up year after year. Following are some ways you can help your child learn during the summer months and send them back ready for the new school year.
Read at Home Everyday
Help your child pick books that interest him or her, set reading goals, and reward their efforts. Start a family book club.
Visit the Library
Libraries have more than just books. Your child can experience technology, create new things, and participate in free activities. Just ask to see a calendar of their events. Sign you and your child up for your library’s free summer programs so you can explore and learn new skills together.
Keep a Summer Journal
Have your child keep a journal about the books he or she enjoys, their favorite summer events or activities, and the new friends they’ve made. Visit Pinterest for more ideas on journal topics for kids.
Use Counting Skills in Daily Activities or Errands.
Baking a cake? Let your child help count out the ingredients or minutes to mix the batter. Turn a grocery trip into a math lesson. Use coupons and help your child determine the discount. With younger kids have them count the apples, tell you the shape and color of the apple.
Get Creative
Let your child’s imagination soar. Turn everyday household items like cardboard tubes into rockets or old socks into hand puppets.
Be Active
Get outside with your child. Visit a park for a nature walk at Banks Lake, ride bikes, or check out your parks and recreation programs that may offer many fun options.
Summer Learning Week is a celebration dedicated to advocacy and awareness around the importance of keeping kids learning, safe, and healthy every summer, ensuring they return to school in the fall ready to succeed in the year ahead. Summer Learning Week is July 8-13. To learn more about Summer Learning Week visit www.summerlearning.org.
